Posts Tagged "teeth"

Today’s the long awaited day for gathering with family and friends for a day of feasting and possibly even football. We would like to wish you and your family a safe and happy Thanksgiving from our caring team at Wellesley Dental Group. Thanksgiving day has been a tradition dating back to 1621 in celebration of the Pilgrims’ first harvest. Most people will be focused on the delicious and flavorful assortment of foods without thinking about the feast certain bacteria within the mouth will be having that can impact teeth. Not all foods are created equally when it comes to your oral health, so here’s what you need to know to have a tooth-friendly holiday:

“My child’s baby teeth are going to fall out eventually anyway, so what’s the point in taking care of them?” This is a common question that many parents face. Baby teeth are necessary for a variety of reasons, including guiding permanent teeth into their proper positions. You also want to make sure that they remain healthy in order to prevent your child from developing a systemic infection, an abscess, or from experiencing pain. As soon as your child’s baby teeth appear, make sure that you are brushing them and scheduling regular dental visits. As they become older, make learning how to brush fun through singing songs, brushing alongside your child, or even using toothbrushes and cool flavors of toothpaste that they pick out themselves.

What is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month?

Did you know that over 23 million children are obese or overweight in the United States? National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month is a yearly campaign with the goal of letting individuals know the health hazards of obesity, particularly for children. Approximately one third of children in the U.S. are at risk of type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. But, with the knowledge and proper resources, we can make these statistics and the health of our children better. Several organizations and professionals will be joining together especially this month to raise money, conduct research, and provide treatment to help battle childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity is a serious public health problem that can have a lifelong impact on the overall health. Chronic conditions such as asthma, joint issues, Type 2 diabetes, and sleep apnea may develop at higher rates due to childhood obesity. Also, it has been found that children with obesity often are more likely to experience depression and lower self-esteem. Surprisingly, obesity is also linked with an increased risk of developing periodontal disease due to the body’s inflammatory response.

As sparkling water becomes more popular, there’s one question that comes into play when thinking about your oral health: Is the crisp and refreshing fizz of sparkling water healthy for your teeth? You may be wondering what the issue could be with sparking water, especially since most brands are sugar-free. However, carbonated drinks like sparkling water contain carbon dioxide, which turns into carbonic acid once in the mouth. This lowers the pH level and thus causes the mouth to become a more acidic environment. Some researchers have concerns about whether or not sipping sparkling water could lead to tooth decay due to erosion of the tooth enamel.

Did you know that enamel, the hardest substance in your body, can be weakened over time by eating certain fruits? The FDA lists the 13 most acidic fruits and their pH ranges as:

Lemon Juice (2.00 – 2.60)

Limes (2.00 – 2.80)

Cranberry Juice (2.30 – 2.52)

Blue Plums (2.80 – 3.40)

Grapes (2.90 – 3.82)

Pomegranates (2.93 – 3.20)

Grapefruits (3.00 – 3.75)

Blueberries (3.12 – 3.33)

Pineapples (3.20 – 4.00)

Apples (3.33 – 4.00)

Peaches (3.30 – 4.05)

Mangos (3.40 – 4.80)

Oranges (3.69 – 4.34)

If you are experiencing sensitivity, you may want to cut out acidic fruits listed above from your diet as much as possible. You can also use a special toothpaste to decrease sensitivity. Instead of eating these acidic fruits, you can opt for eating less acidic fruits like cantaloupe (6.13-6.58) which have less of an enamel-weakening effect while providing optimal vitamin C levels. Honeydew melons, bananas, and watermelon are also great options. Protecting your enamel from acidic fruits will also lessen your risk of cavities, and help you achieve the perfect smile!

Feel free to contact Drs. Ali & Ali and their newest addition to the team, Dr. Zarah Ali, if you have any thoughts or concerns. Your little ones and teens are welcome to visit our pediatric dentist Dr. Van. Dr. Emad is happy to help with your orthodontic needs. For wisdom teeth extractions or any other periodontal or oral surgery needs, Dr. Ghazi would be more than willing to help.

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About Us

Dr. Ejaz and Dr. Femina Ali have a strong desire to provide the very best that dentistry has to offer, and have a combined 40 years of clinical experience to meet that commitment! Graduates of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Drs. Ali and Ali have become recognized leaders in cosmetic, implant, and restorative dentistry. In order to remain on the leading edge of dental technologies and techniques, their personal commitment includes hundreds of hours each year in advanced dental training. Drs. Ali and Ali consistently stay up to date on the most current techniques including procedures in restorative, TMJ, sedation, implant and laser dentistry.